Summary: After the near cataclysmic events in New York, Peter Petrelli is taken to Cardiff to lie low and recuperate. When he crosses paths with the mysterious Ianto Jones, however, he soon finds recovery the furthest thing from his mind as the Welshman inadvertently leads him to Torchwood and the secrets within.

- - -

seven.

Owen fired an instant too late as Peter vanished into thin air. Ianto’s shout of alarm covered his curse as he lowered the gun, looking about the room in confusion.

“Hold your fire!” Jack yelled, his eyes frantically skimming the medical bay before turning to his wrist piece as if it held the answer to the man’s disappearance. Jack tapped a button or two and must’ve found what he was looking for because not a scant moment later he swore so loudly and colourfully that even Owen felt his cheeks colouring.

“I want him found.” Jack began, turning to face his team. “I want to know everything about him. Peter Petrelli, American. What is he doing in Cardiff? How dangerous is he? Can he be stopped?”

Jack dashed up the stairs and over towards Toshiko’s computer where he hit a few keys and waited. “That’s four abilities this man has exhibited so far. Invisibility was his first, then his display of radiation, an ability to somehow survive death, and finally-,” Jack bared his teeth as a window popped up onto the screen confirming his findings. “He’s just bent space and time.”

Toshiko was the first at his side, muttering something about the impossibility of one man being able to control space and time. “Other than the Doctor, Torchwood has no record of anyone, particularly not humans, as being able to display this type of power without alien technology of some kind. Our bodies are just not designed to cope with it.”

Jack watched as she entered some information into her computer for a moment before she straightened with an ‘oh!’ of surprise. Jack nodded grimly.

“Owen?” Jack called, turning to the doctor. “I want you to find out if this man is human. Do you have any of his DNA at all?”

“I’m on it.” Owen nodded, thinking back to the bullet he’d removed.

“Gwen, can you do me a search- anything and everything you can find on Peter Petrelli?” She too nodded and dashed towards her own computer. “I want to know what else he’s capable of and just how much of a danger he is to the country.”

“Tosh, find out how they know each other. I don’t trust Ianto to give me anything that will lead to this man’s capture. He’s… he’s not himself right now. And I don’t trust this Peter Petrelli not to take advantage of that.”

Toshiko laid a hand upon his arm. “I know, Jack.” She answered, offering him a comforting sort of smile before turning back to the computer and opening up the CCTV network for the Cardiff Bay area.

Jack rubbed at his chin, looking reluctantly towards his office for a minute before straightening himself up and heading over. He’d been putting off speaking to Ianto about his behaviour as of late, and truth be told, he wasn’t particularly looking forward to doing it now; not when he wasn’t even certain about the cause for the man’s recent conduct.

“Would you like to explain to me what that was all about?” Jack asked, closing the door behind him. Ianto stood rigidly before his desk, his eyes following Jack as the Captain moved round behind it.

“Sir?” Ianto asked stiffly, his hands clasped in deceptive calm behind his back. The upward tilt of chin and the flash of fire in his eyes betrayed his ignorance as an unwillingness to cooperate.

“Do not play games with me, Ianto Jones. This is neither the time nor the place for such pettiness.” Jack leaned forward, his eyes hard and cool as they bore into Ianto’s own. “Do you even know this man at all? What he is capable of?”

Jack caught the slight clenching of his jaw though Ianto said nothing. He pressed on, angry. “Do you have any idea the danger you could have put us in with your display of insubordination down there? What could have happened if he’d decided to use you against us?”

“Dammit, Ianto!” Jack cursed. Ianto flinched back, his mask slipping just slightly at Jack’s anger. “That wasn’t a dig at you. Owen had no right to say it, but the fact remains-,” Jack paused suddenly, frowning slightly as if something had just occurred to him.

“Is he your lover?” Ianto blinked at Jack, surprised at the question.

“I-,” He opened his mouth to answer but found the words eluding him for the time being as he cruelly thought of lying to Jack and telling him that yes, Peter Petrelli was his lover, and just what was he going to do about that?

Jack’s eyes were intent upon him and Ianto found himself unable to hold his gaze. He looked away, shaking his head in answer. He missed the relieved slump of Jack’s shoulders.

“What’s going on with you, Ianto?”

Ianto looked up again and Jack gestured for him to seat himself as he did the same.

“I don’t want to fight with you, Ianto,” Jack began solemnly, “but how can I help you if I don’t know what’s wrong?”

“Nothing is wrong, sir.” Ianto answered, his voice soft and his gaze turned anywhere but at Jack.

“Ianto, we both know that’s not true.” Jack pushed, leaning forward.

“I assure you, sir. Everything is perfectly fine.”

Jack pursed his lips, watching Ianto in silence until the man shifted, uncomfortable under the scrutiny.

“Very well then.” Jack stood. “You may go, but this blatant disregard towards my authority and your own life has got to stop. It’s not just you at risk here, Ianto. That display up in the Information Centre could have wiped out half the country.”

Ianto stood, jerking his head in a nod of understanding. “I understand. Is that everything then, sir?”

Jack’s gaze darkened but he indicated the door, watching Ianto leave with something akin to unease twisting his stomach into knots.

Love this chapter. I can really sense Jack's frustration in being unable to figure out everything about Peter.

I've just noticed that everyone who lies on that autopsy table seems to come back to life..."AUTOPSY TABLE WHERE NO AUTOPSIES ACTUALLY HAPPEN THEREFORE TIS JUST A TABLE!" \o/

“That’s three abilities this man has exhibited so far. Invisibility was his first, then his display of radiation, and finally-,” Jack bared his teeth as a window popped up onto the screen confirming his findings. “He’s just bent space and time.”

XD I'ts amazing the details one can overlook! I've edited that bit now, thanks for pointing it out ::grin::

As for the autopsy table, I think it's a defence mechanism to make sure Owen doesn't get to cut anyone up ;) I know he's supposed to be a doctor and all, but I certainly wouldn't want him treating me- dead or not! haha.

Thankies so much for reading, darling! There'll be more frustration for Jack before he gets his answers. Our 'poor, sweet, emo woobie Ianto' will keep him guessing for a while yet ;)

I think that's the thing with Jack, until he can absolutely guaruntee that Peter is not a threat he'll view him as one. Even though he's technically not done anything other than nearly blow up ::cough:: Still, plenty of emo-ness ahoy to keep all our boys busy and angsting, heh.

Thanks very much for the review! Am busy writing the next chapter at the moment so it should hopefully be up at some point tomorrow :D

“Is he your lover?”Jack wants to get in on the action, eh? XD I love that scene and Ianto's reaction to the question, brilliant. Your characterisations are spot-on as usual and it's just another fantastic chapter. More? Soon? Please?

When I first wrote that scene, I made a huge deal over that comment/mutant lovers, but it just didn't read right so I edited the hell out of it till it was a bit more subtle, and could read as more of a kick in the gut for Jack. Poor baby. I think if I didn't have a pairing already defined in my header info I'd be confused as hell as to who was getting paired with who! XD what? It's my inner Jack/Ianto fangirl. Pfft.

I've just finished the next chapter! Whoot! Just need to read through/edit it and it shall be up for all to read tomorrow.

Yeah. I kind of angst a bit for Jack in this chapter. You can tell that there's been something there between him and Ianto, that maybe it's not quite over even though maybe it is and things are just really unclear between them. ::pets Jack:: I'm really glad you think I've got his character down to par, he's rather fun to play with! heh.

Ohhh nice chapter Jack's frustration really comes over here, but I can't help but think it's also tinged with a little dash of fear and a side order of Jealousy. Ianto seems to be in a really dark place seems the only person he's willing too trust/open up to is Peter. I'm loving this so far it's a really excellent read.

I complete agree about Ianto opening up to someone he doesn't know, but also doesn't have to answer to or deal with on a day to day basis. I was thinking about this and thought just how hard that would be to have someone know your inner most darkest secrets and have to work with them, wondering if they see you differently hoping that they won't judge you yet somehow knowing that they will, not knowingly but sub-conciously it would change how they dealt with you.

Sorry waffling....

I do think Jack cares a great deal for Ianto, but I don't believe he can give Ianto the kind of relationship he wants/deserves. In all likehood the more he tries to prevent Ianto being with Peter the less likely he is to succeed in convincing Ianto he's doing it for his own good, Ianto's not dumb and he'll figure out Jack's ulterior motive and that'll anger him even more.

Wow was that like the most anaylitical comment ever, sorry I hope it made some kind of sense, and if you haven't guessed I'm still loving this.....

And you're completely right- when someone you know in your everyday life leans something like that about you, whether or not they've changed in regards to how they treat you, you will always be wondering- there at the back of your mind- if they see you any differently? If they judge you? If they're watching you?

But hold that thought. There is more to come on that front! heh. Jack is looking out for Ianto, and I think it is because somewhere in him he feels a love for him. But too, he is doing it because another part of him feels the touch of jealousy by how quickly Peter has taken hold of Ianto's favour.

Again, more to come about that ;)And yeah for anaylitical comments! For they are the best kind and make Caspe a very happy writer :D

Oh and I've always been that way inclined I think the worst/best ever was the way we disected "The Fisher King" I love Robin Williams and to me this is one of his finest performances and the one I believe he should have got the oscar for, but thats another story. So we sat there my friend and I and basically went into detail about the symbolisation of the Red Knight what the quest for the grail symbolised and how Jeff Bridges Radio jock's character's motives were driven by first guilt then friendship and finally desperation spent nie on two hours just bouncing ideas back and forth between us. Thats part of the reason I love this movie I can just loose myself in it.